Major-Mini Haul!!

I have a confession to make....I overslept yesterday so we didn't go out at sunrise! So I spent yesterday doing some more shopping....This sure doesn't look like December 3rd where I am from....how about you??

 

This truly is paradise!  I did go to Bunche Beach here in Fort Myers for an hour and had a little bit of luck...

...a couple of Kings Crowns!

These are mostly shells from the day before....with a few scallops we picked up this morning...

Today however, we did get up and got out to Gulfside park just before sunrise....it was so beautiful and very calm!!

...It was mini heaven....you could walk out and see in the clear calm water...We both had so much fun....and boy did we find the minis!

Hubby said he was in the water just picking up one thing after another and this Alphabet cone rolled up next to him!! It's not perfect, but they have been pretty scarce for us this year!!

It was amazing how much was out there, there were still some sea squirts rolling around, but there were minis everywhere....in the water, on the beach, high tide line...just everywhere! 

See for yourself!

Hubby hit the jackpot with Olives and Mini horse conchs....

I did pretty well with mini shark's eyes and double jewel boxes!

...and tiny lightning whelks and apple murex....the apple murex above are 'average' size that you normally see...

This group was there just like this...the only thing that was live was the mussel....the rest went right into my shell bag!

 So many minis.....look how tiny!

A double jewel box, tiny kittens paw and teenie nutmeg!!

I did find a baby's ear and a paper fig, a few olives and an awesome barnacle bunch....

....and a piece of Christmas Candy!! :)

Even though low tide was well before sunrise, with the calm water we could see very well and stayed until 9:30 or so!! Breakfast at Jerry's was calling for us, so we left....very satisfied!! We can't wait until tomorrow....it's different everyday so you never know.....wish us luck, this will be our last day of shelling....:(    This trip!

::Hugs::

Enjoy....so relaxing!!

It's Beginning to Look (a little bit) Like Christmas....

Shelling yesterday was not nearly as plentiful.  

The tides aren't very good during the daytime, and the wind picked up yesterday so the water was not very clear. It was beautiful though, so you will not hear any complaints from me!

I did manage to pick this creature up....

It startled me at first and I dropped it back in the water, then realized it was some sort of a shrimp I think!! You can see how big it is against my foot!! He wasn't alive, but was still freaky!

The best low tides are going to be early morning...before daybreak, so we may get up and be there at daybreak to get a chance to get some special treasures.  Today had little to no low tides so we just hung out at home, walked around the neighborhood, and did a little housework.  

We intended to bring some Christmas decorations down when we came, but with all that was going on, forgot...so I decided to go do a little shopping to find us a small tree.....or something 'Christmasy'.  I found all kinds of beachy trees....

Made from Calico Scallops....

Trees made from a variety of white shells, and even sea urchins....

There was even a beautiful abalone tree!

 

I didn't feel like I could get one of these because I could make one....hmmmm that's an idea!! :)  I just couldn't decide what to do, it's only for a few days!

I finally found this awesome tiny tree that I couldn't pass up!!

It's made of glass and it couldn't get more beachy!! No sparkling lights, but I loved it anyway!  I also found this wreath I couldn't pass up...

I think I will be adding some shells to it later to customize it a bit!!

Now it is beginning to look (a little bit) like Christmas in one corner of our Florida home! (Notice the AWESOME signs made by Kim and Chablis from Snug Harbor Bay Etsy Shop ...click on the link on the right of Kim's blog)

Hopefully tomorrow I will have a very different post about some awesome shelling! We are having a good....relaxing time! Stay tuned!

::Hugs::

I'm Thankful!

I'm Thankful..... Thankful for so many things.... 

Thankful for our Grandbaby Boy who is to arrive in February and his healthy happy parents...

....and thankful for our Grand kids in New York....

.....thankful for our Lily who greets us with kisses and tail wags galore every time we come home...

I'm also thankful for a Thanksgiving that started with a huge meal on Thursday in Virginia, continued to North Carolina on Friday with more family and food....

and I am especially thankful to have a place to go to that gives us a chance to get away and finish out this thankful time somewhere WARM, peaceful and calm.....and in the 70s and 80s in November and December!

Can you imagine? We are in paradise, and it couldn't be more perfect! Low humidity, warm....not hot and just crystal clear water!  When we got on the beach, it appeared that a storm had passed by and lots of stuff had washed up and it was pretty 'fragrant', but there were tons of urchins and fighting conchs!! I saved so many by throwing them back into the water, but couldn't save them all!!

They were everywhere!! Even in the water!!

The tides aren't real low, but that's okay, they are mid day and it's just beautiful! The shelling is pretty good too!! 

My finds

Hubby's Finds...

I found a double jewel box mini!!

see that Alphabet cone ...Next to two beautiful Horse conchs....(one of my favorites!)

I found some coral and some shark's eyes

.....and a HUGE lace murex! It wasn't perfect but I couldn't resist it was so big!!

So stay tuned this week, I hope to have lots of things to share with you that just makes us more thankful!  For now, sit back, turn up your speakers, think about 75 degrees and enjoy....you will be thankful too!!

::Hugs::

Happy Birthday to my Wonderful Hubby!

Today is Hubby's birthday! It is milestone birthdays for us both this year...you will just have to guess which ones because I'm not telling! :) 

Hubby has raised three amazing daughters who have grown to be such outstanding women and have wonderful families of their own and he is a loving Grandpa to 3 more beautiful girls and a wonderful boy, with another boy coming in February! He loves his family first, and will fight for each and every one of us no matter what. 

He loves music, was so fortunate to grow up in the 50's with Saturdays spent at the teenage club dancing, and thanks to satellite radio he can continue to relive those special times.  He is very sentimental, but wouldn't want just anyone to know that.... and he is my best friend! We look forward to the day when we can live our dream of being residents of our new home in Ft. Myers, and are working every day toward achieving that goal. 

He deserves to have a special celebration just for him, and his started early this weekend, he got to spend some time with 2 of his girls, and get some early birthday wishes and I hope he will continue feel special today! 

Happy, Happy Birthday Hubby.... I Love You!!

:
:Hugs:: and Kisses!!

Cheri